Quantum information science with SPAD array technology

This PhD is a research project in photonics, optics, and quantum science. This goal of this PhD project is the development, application, and testing of single-photon sensitive detector (SPAD) array technology for the measurement of large-scale high-dimensional quantum states of light.

SPAD arrays are an emerging technology, that have been developed for applications in bioimaging and microscopy, but they have had limited application in quantum science. However, they promise the ability to measure multiple single-photon states simultaneously, and as such, are a technology that can be applied to quantum imaging, quantum communications, and quantum foundations. A key objective of the project is establishing the necessary operational performance parameters, such as dark counts, efficiency, and temporal resolution, of SPAD arrays necessary for use in quantum science. This will be applied in tests of non-locality, high-dimensional entanglement, and quantum state discrimination.

This is primarily an experimental PhD, but the project bridges the gap between the experimental realisation of quantum protocols and the necessary theoretical requirements. As such, the student will develop numerical simulations to predict the performance of the SPAD array technologies applied to specific tests and protocols in quantum science. Having established the necessary parameters, we will then perform experiments to measure high-dimensional quantum states and feed this information to the designers and developers of the next generation of quantum sensors.